The Official Alden Thread for 2021 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[BackInTheJox]

Just boxed up these bad boys to ship them north tomorrow. Keeping them stateside in the Styleforum family.

@JSO1
@mdubs

View attachment 1570267

if you know you know!

?

Wow!! Awesome dude. That is a doozy!

-Mike

Color 2 is one of those leathers that, to me, is rare but bordering on unwearable. It always just looks too red to be worn in any reasonable capacity. Maybe kept on the shelf as a novelty.

Not that anyone asked me. Or as if I would ever have access to it. As long as others enjoy it then that’s what counts!

 

[nbernie]

if you know you know!

?

? ? ?

 

[chipshot]

James.. Those Cigar U Tips are simply stunning.. love that entire makeup.. well played Sir! Wish I had a pair..

 

[JSO1]

Color 2 is one of those leathers that, to me, is rare but bordering on unwearable. It always just looks too red to be worn in any reasonable capacity. Maybe kept on the shelf as a novelty.

Not that anyone asked me. Or as if I would ever have access to it. As long as others enjoy it then that’s what counts!

FWIW I like my color 2 vibergs

 

[Vocans]

Color 2 is one of those leathers that, to me, is rare but bordering on unwearable. It always just looks too red to be worn in any reasonable capacity. Maybe kept on the shelf as a novelty.

Not that anyone asked me. Or as if I would ever have access to it. As long as others enjoy it then that’s what counts!

I'm not going to wear it with a suit or something but since I've had them my color 2 vibergs have been my most complimented pair of footwear. Even had one gentlemen come up to me at the grocery store and ask me what they were and how he could get a pair. Anecdotal obviously but in a sea of black and brown they're strikingly unique.

 

[smfdoc]

Tanker Tuesday

 

[James1051]

That feeling you get wearing new GYW shoes that fit great.

 

[ironclad]

These old Cigars are still smokin’.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

I have shared on both Alden and Allen Edmonds threads that I have had a difficult time trying to find shoes that fit well because I thought it had to do with my foot size shrinking. I visited three different Allen Edmonds stores and received three different "fittings" which lead to about a year of purchasing and returning more than 30 shoes trying to find something that works. Out of frustration, I came to SF late last year, and other online sources, to learn more about shoes and especially fit. This led me to contacting @BAK recently to ask for an Alden reference who could deal with a "weird fit" not knowing anything really about why I could not get comfortable shoes. He suggested Moulded Shoe.

In the interim, I took a chance and ordered online a 9503 and 9794 in 9.5D Barrie. They were truly a revelation and are the best fitting shoes I have worn in years.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to stop by Moulded Shoes and meet with Ronnie who is one of the owners. I explained that I am having trouble getting fitted and that @BAK recommended I stop by. He asked me to take off my shoes and wanted to look at my feet. He then asked me to walk a few steps away from him and a few steps towards him. He then uttered the most important words I had heard in years (regarding shoes): "Your feet flair out on the outside but you also have a very narrow heel and why you probably cannot get fit. You have a normal instep and arch. The modified last is made for people like you."

While I appreciated his professional experience I was still not convinced and asked to try-on a few of the "last pairs" I saw on the Moulded website: 10D Copley lasted brown suede cap toes (much too narrow), 9.5D Barrie lasted Shell 1340 Chukka Boot (too narrow), 9.5D Van lasted Michigan Boots Utica leather (good but did not love the style in-person). Ronnie explained that the Modified last would be best for me, the Barrie a close second, the Van not a bad third, but the others would not work because if we got them wide enough for my forefoot, my heel would be sliding all around (which has been my experience in many brands). The most interesting part, he never took out a Brannock but rather chose to start with the size I thought I was and work from there. In the end, he must have allowed me to try on at least 10 pairs of shoes before we settled on a 9E in Modified. He mentioned that my current 9.5D Barrie LWB and PTB probably work because they are suede but he would suggest a 9E for any future purchases especially in calf or shell (as suede gives more than the others). The overarching theme is that I have always been wearing shoes too big for me because I was probably trying to get them wide enough for my forefoot but that compromised fit in other places.

The most important take away from Ronnie at Moulded: "Do not go crazy. Purchase 1 pair and wear them for a few months then come back and we will see how they fit. We can adjust sizing if needed and then you can get a second pair to wear for a few months and we will see how those do too". I was amazed at how there was simply no sales pressure to purchase anything even after all the time he spent with me.

I loved these D5409 Hunter Green Suede (see below) but he only had 9.5E Modified which are too long. His advice: "We have gone through a lot today so go home, look over the website, find something you love, and come back to pick them up or I will ship them to you but do not rush to just get anything today."

Sorry for the long post but I am truly grateful for how well I was treated at Moulded Shoe yesterday and that I now have my favorite Alden retailer who will probably always have the most shoes that fit me.

 

[stook1]

I have shared on both Alden and Allen Edmonds threads that I have had a difficult time trying to find shoes that fit well because I thought it had to do with my foot size shrinking. I visited three different Allen Edmonds stores and received three different "fittings" which lead to about a year of purchasing and returning more than 30 shoes trying to find something that works. Out of frustration, I came to SF late last year, and other online sources, to learn more about shoes and especially fit. This led me to contacting @BAK recently to ask for an Alden reference who could deal with a "weird fit" not knowing anything really about why I could not get comfortable shoes. He suggested Moulded Shoe.

In the interim, I took a chance and ordered online a 9503 and 9794 in 9.5D Barrie. They were truly a revelation and are the best fitting shoes I have worn in years.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to stop by Moulded Shoes and meet with Ronnie who is one of the owners. I explained that I am having trouble getting fitted and that @BAK recommended I stop by. He asked me to take off my shoes and wanted to look at my feet. He then asked me to walk a few steps away from him and a few steps towards him. He then uttered the most important words I had heard in years (regarding shoes): "Your feet flair out on the outside but you also have a very narrow heel and why you probably cannot get fit. You have a normal instep and arch. The modified last is made for people like you."

While I appreciated his professional experience I was still not convinced and asked to try-on a few of the "last pairs" I saw on the Moulded website: 10D Copley lasted brown suede cap toes (much too narrow), 9.5D Barrie lasted Shell 1340 Chukka Boot (too narrow), 9.5D Van lasted Michigan Boots Utica leather (good but did not love the style in-person). Ronnie explained that the Modified last would be best for me, the Barrie a close second, the Van not a bad third, but the others would not work because if we got them wide enough for my forefoot, my heel would be sliding all around (which has been my experience so far in many brands). The most interesting part, he never took out a Brannock but rather chose to start with the size I thought I was and work from there. In the end, he must have allowed me to try on at least 10 pairs of shoes before we settled on a 9E in Modified. He mentioned that my current 9.5D Barrie LWB and PTB probably work because they are suede but he would suggest a 9E for any future purchases especially in calf or shell (as suede gives more than the others). The overarching theme is that I have always been wearing shoes too big for me because I was probably trying to get them wide enough for my forefoot but that compromised fit in other places.

The most important take away from Ronnie at Moulded: "Do not go crazy. Purchase 1 pair and wear them for a few months then come back and we will see how they fit. We can adjust sizing if needed and then you can get a second pair to wear for a few months and we will see how those do too". I was amazed at how there was simply no sales pressure to purchase anything even after all the time he spent with me.

I loved these D5409 Hunter Green Suede (see below) but he only had 9.5E Modified which are too long. His advice: "We have gone through a lot today so go home, look over the website, find something you love, and come back to pick them up or I will ship them to you but do not rush to just get anything today."

Sorry for the long post but I am truly grateful for how well I was treated at Moulded Shoe yesterday and that I now have my favorite Alden retailer who will probably always have the most shoes that fit me.

View attachment 1570568 View attachment 1570569

Cool. Glad to hear you had a good experience there... I've never tried copley but it was interesting to hear that a 10D was more narrow than a 9.5 van. I find van to be kind of narrow and for some reason I was under the impression that copley was less narrow. perhaps not. Actually, come to think of it your Barrie vs. Van discussion is also interesting to me. I wonder if my van experience was a fluke.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

Cool. Glad to hear you had a good experience there... I've never tried copley but it was interesting to hear that a 10D was more narrow than a 9.5 van. I find van to be kind of narrow and for some reason I was under the impression that copley was less narrow. perhaps not. Actually, come to think of it your Barrie vs. Van discussion is also interesting to me. I wonder if my van experience was a fluke.

Every foot is "individual" so unless yours is truly "average", fit will vary based on the person. With that said, according to the often quoted/posted Alden Last Chart, Copley is more narrow than Van.

And when I mention narrow, it is often in the forefoot and mid section where my foot is wide and "flairs out" because my heel is very narrow.

 

[savvysartorial]

I have shared on both Alden and Allen Edmonds threads that I have had a difficult time trying to find shoes that fit well because I thought it had to do with my foot size shrinking. I visited three different Allen Edmonds stores and received three different "fittings" which lead to about a year of purchasing and returning more than 30 shoes trying to find something that works. Out of frustration, I came to SF late last year, and other online sources, to learn more about shoes and especially fit. This led me to contacting @BAK recently to ask for an Alden reference who could deal with a "weird fit" not knowing anything really about why I could not get comfortable shoes. He suggested Moulded Shoe.

In the interim, I took a chance and ordered online a 9503 and 9794 in 9.5D Barrie. They were truly a revelation and are the best fitting shoes I have worn in years.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to stop by Moulded Shoes and meet with Ronnie who is one of the owners. I explained that I am having trouble getting fitted and that @BAK recommended I stop by. He asked me to take off my shoes and wanted to look at my feet. He then asked me to walk a few steps away from him and a few steps towards him. He then uttered the most important words I had heard in years (regarding shoes): "Your feet flair out on the outside but you also have a very narrow heel and why you probably cannot get fit. You have a normal instep and arch. The modified last is made for people like you."

While I appreciated his professional experience I was still not convinced and asked to try-on a few of the "last pairs" I saw on the Moulded website: 10D Copley lasted brown suede cap toes (much too narrow), 9.5D Barrie lasted Shell 1340 Chukka Boot (too narrow), 9.5D Van lasted Michigan Boots Utica leather (good but did not love the style in-person). Ronnie explained that the Modified last would be best for me, the Barrie a close second, the Van not a bad third, but the others would not work because if we got them wide enough for my forefoot, my heel would be sliding all around (which has been my experience in many brands). The most interesting part, he never took out a Brannock but rather chose to start with the size I thought I was and work from there. In the end, he must have allowed me to try on at least 10 pairs of shoes before we settled on a 9E in Modified. He mentioned that my current 9.5D Barrie LWB and PTB probably work because they are suede but he would suggest a 9E for any future purchases especially in calf or shell (as suede gives more than the others). The overarching theme is that I have always been wearing shoes too big for me because I was probably trying to get them wide enough for my forefoot but that compromised fit in other places.

The most important take away from Ronnie at Moulded: "Do not go crazy. Purchase 1 pair and wear them for a few months then come back and we will see how they fit. We can adjust sizing if needed and then you can get a second pair to wear for a few months and we will see how those do too". I was amazed at how there was simply no sales pressure to purchase anything even after all the time he spent with me.

I loved these D5409 Hunter Green Suede (see below) but he only had 9.5E Modified which are too long. His advice: "We have gone through a lot today so go home, look over the website, find something you love, and come back to pick them up or I will ship them to you but do not rush to just get anything today."

Sorry for the long post but I am truly grateful for how well I was treated at Moulded Shoe yesterday and that I now have my favorite Alden retailer who will probably always have the most shoes that fit me.

View attachment 1570568 View attachment 1570569

Awesome, glad you were able to find a good fit. Alden has so many lasts, and Modified seems to be that one for those odd feet!

Luckily my foot is pretty easily sized to many lasts, but Modified is one I really enjoy as well. That's an awesome makeup and should serve you well! Ronnie is a stand up guy.

Cheers to your new relationship with Ronnie and the Modified last.

 

[audog]

Tanker Tuesday, right?

 

[savvysartorial]

I wanted to drop this here since I posted photos of my Ravello NST last week.

Voltaire Blain (Style By Blain) is a great guy with a bunch of cool Alden makeups. Until recently, he did not have a website!

Let me be the first to invite you to drop on by and check out his shop and/or website.

www.stylebyblain.com

 

[savvysartorial]

Tanker Tuesday, right? View attachment 1570599 View attachment 1570600

It's funny how the NST look changes from Barrie to Aberdeen to Plaza and Hampton. Also wearing some NSTs today